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Researching Pace for Runners

Below are three articles I recently received from ScienceDaily about pacing in a long distance run. The first one discusses the difference between how men and women pace a marathon. (Spoiler: women don’t slow down as much in the second half.) The second discusses a mathematical equation for refueling. The link is cool and shows how the researchers calculated the fuel strategy. The third is an article that demonstrates how paces change according to age group.

I’m not a runner, but a lot of these articles are really interesting. Let me know what you think.

The tortoise and the hare: A sex difference in marathon pacing

Date: July 7, 2014Source: Grand Valley State UniversitySummary:

Men are more likely than women to slow their pace in the marathon, according to a new study. The researchers also showed that the sex difference in pacing held across age groups. It also held when adjusting women’s performances by 12 percent to address men’s greater maximal oxygen uptake and their typically faster performances.

Most marathon runners know they need to consume carbohydrates before and during a race, but many don’t have a good fueling strategy. Now, one dedicated marathoner has taken a more rigorous approach to calculating just how much carbohydrate a runner needs to fuel him or herself through 26.2 miles, and what pace that runner can reasonably expect to sustain.

Marathon runners’ times develop in a U shape

Date: May 28, 2014Source: Plataforma SINCSummary:

Spanish researchers have demonstrated that the relationship between marathon running times and the age of the athlete is U-shaped. The work shows the unusual fact that it takes an 18-year-old athlete the same amount of time to finish a marathon as a 55- or 60-year-old runner.